N.Y. lawmakers press for change to weekend voting

Monday

Nov 4, 2013 at 5:28 PM

The Associated Press

NEW YORK | New York lawmakers say voter turnout would increase if the laws were changed to allow weekend voting.Congressman Steve Israel, state Sen. Tony Avella and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein favor the move.They want to hold Election Day on the weekend after the first Friday in November.Congress decided in 1845 that Tuesday made sense because it was the easiest day for farmers to get to the polls. Israel says times have changed. He says moving voting to the weekend would encourage more Americans to participate.A group called "Why Tuesday?" is applauding the New York lawmakers' stance. The Weekend Voting Act would allow for national polls to be open from 10 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday in the 48 contiguous states.

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